Seeing God as Isaiah Saw God
Would love your assistance in my sermon prep:
Thought process: This week is “True Fan” part 3.
General Thought: Being exposed to God will change your perspective of yourself. It puts you in your right place. It gives us a respect for what He has done and what that means for our future.
We are talking about the respect fans have for their team/player. How does that compare with our respect and our honor for God? To me it seems fans are born from 3 places: exposure to greatness (I see greatness and become a fan), buying in (my school’s team), born in (my city’s team).
Isaiah 6 is a perfect example of a man being exposed to God.
Isaiah 6:1 In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the traint of his robe filled the temple.2 Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3 And one called to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!” 4 And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. 5 And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!” 6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. 7 And he touched my mouth and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.” (ESV)
When he sees God, immediately he has a new perspective of himself (a low image). Another great example of this in scripture is Luke 5:1-11.
Sports/Fan Analogy: This seems to mirror our respect for pro athletes. People stand in line for an autograph because of the players ability and status. We recognize and understand the athlete’s ‘power’ because we compare ourselves to them. We are far weaker, less known, less able, and less financially sound. Therefore, we honor them and put them on a pedestal. It is an easy comparison because many of us have played the same sport and know first hand how difficult it is to play.
If we see God, as Isaiah saw God, then we understand who He is and who we are. Becoming a True Fan of God is automatic.
Your thoughts on this??
Your thoughts on how new believers and existing Christians ‘see God’??
Posted on February 16, 2012, in Daily Word. Bookmark the permalink. 6 Comments.
Robin Steele 
Think of the difference of when you compare yourself to a Jerry Springer guest, the most successful person in your profession, and God.
The first seems to give us strong self confidence (our life is WAY more put together than him or her).
The second either encourages or depresses (we have such a long way to go).
The third humbles (we are unworthy, He is so pure, Holy, perfect)
Your message makes a good analogy! Being a fan means being totally loyal and committed to your team! It would mean making sacrifices (money for tickets, waiting in line for a wristband to get a ticket if necessary, paying a high price for a ticket to get the best seat possible) (Giving to the work of God, tithes offerings) Giving of your time to the Church in the ministry you are involved in. Getting to the game early to tailgate, celebrate, get pumped up!(prayer before the service and during the week for the services). Knowledge about the players on your team. (Studying God’s word to know Him better and how to please Him and His will for your life) Just a few of my thoughts!
thanks!!
My experience is one of complete change. Today I got the news my unemployment has been revoked and that I owe them 1,572. I know that I am unemployed because, God has been preparing me for his work. I lost my benefits as a result of putting the armor of truth on and declaring that I could not be the least bit deceitful so I asked Pastor Harry what I should do and he said that I should quit my substitute position. As a result am beyond unemployed in the sense of the world. My thoughts when this happened was ironically calm I just said well you have been wanting me to rely totally on you and now here it is. I know that I will be taken care of and I will continue to prosper in his world. He is good and he is faithful I am happy and secure in the fact that God is completely in control of my life.
The difference is that when I became unemployed in the first place I was not yet a Christian I was still homosexual and I was a miserable human being. I was depressed and walked away from a relationship in order to not commit suicide because, I knew I had to leave that relationship one way or the other. I was on anti-depressants and was sad and miserable and not a good role model to my children.
I can’t remember a time in my life that I have been more happy and at peace. On Valentines day I was sitting here at my computer and all of a sudden became overwhelmed with a love that enveloped me so thoroughly and completely that I sat here and cried with tears of joy for the love I have never felt before in any other relationship. Being a true fan of God is kinda the only way to be when he fills you with more love than you can even handle and have a feeling that it is going to overwhelm you with joy so much so that if it lasted much longer I don’t know if I could have handled it. Yet when I think about it I become, filled again with the love. I think that when people are jumping around and acting a fool because, their team either wins or looses it could never feel as incredible and fulfilling as just sitting here and feeling his love permeate my entire being. What a great Valentine’s day gift from my most precious husband and father.
Rhonda, that is so beautiful.
I can relate to this even though I don’t follow sports. I was born into a Christian family, attended a Christian church all my life and became religious, but until I actually met Jesus, He was just a character in the Bible. When I came to the realization that my self-centered life had a big hole in it, I started to search for a real Jesus, and found Him. The Jesus I found was absolutely stunning and loved me beyond comprehension, so much so that my entire past was jettisoned as trivia.
That straight gate He talked about is also real and if you can find it, squeeze through and on the other side you’ll discover that children of Adam can become children of God. Fanatical? Absolutely! So fanatical that there is no other existence outside of Him. Like that old song said: “This world is not my home, I’m just a-passing through…”